Marble Run

Marble Run is a building game on a cork board. Pin parts to the board, drop a marble in and keep it rolling as long as you can. Every part it passes earns points to spend on more parts.

How to play

1. Drag the dropper onto the board. That is where the marble starts.
2. Drag parts from the tray below it. They snap to the pins where they fit.
3. Press Run. The marble drops, and each part it passes pays points.
4. The run ends when the marble falls past the lowest part, gets stuck, or you press Stop.

A run's points go into your bank, to buy parts in the tray. Parts you put back return to the tray.

Select a part that catches the marble, like a tube, to see a dotted line to where it goes next.

Levels

Each level sets one target for a single run. It may be a score or a time to keep the marble going. It may also be a number of different parts, or a lap back to the dropper. Passing a level pays a bonus and opens the next.

Ranks and parts

Every second a marble rolls earns one XP. New ranks add parts to the tray, from springs and spirals to slingshots and conveyors.

Earning

• A part pays in full the first time the marble passes it. Each repeat pays half as much, down to a tenth.
• Bumpers hit in quick succession pay more each time, up to eight times.
• A multiplier ring doubles the next three parts that pay.
• Bring the marble back into the dropper for a lap. Each lap pays a bigger bonus, every part pays in full again, and a fresh marble drops out.

Zen mode

Zen mode is an endless track that builds itself, to watch and listen to. Tap to drop in more marbles, and choose which parts the track uses. Nothing is earned there.

Controls

• Mouse / touch: drag parts from the tray, or tap one and then the board. Tap a pinned part to select it. Drag empty cork to look around; scroll or pinch to zoom.
• Keyboard: R runs or stops, F flips and T turns a spring or booster.
• More keys: Delete puts a part back, Esc drops what you carry, Home fits the view and Z opens zen mode.
• In zen mode: Space adds a marble, Backspace removes one, P shows the parts and M toggles sound.

Tips

• Start with a ramp under the dropper.
• A bigger board pays more than one marble circling the same parts.
• Set bumpers close together to build a combo.
• A conveyor carries the marble back up for laps.